It is winter outside,
but you didn’t need me to tell you that!This winter has been especially
challenging – and I think I now know the definition of the term “icy cold.”On King day, which was a balmy 50 degrees, Ken and I went for a walk at the beach.We were joined by many other people out running and walking their dogs, but of course the beach itself is closed.There are no coffee shops or ice cream stands open.People have their Christmas ornaments still on their lawn.(Note to self:next year I want the blow-up Santa in the Hawaiian shirt with the surfboard!).It is during a stretch of bleak, dreary days that I say to my husband, “I hate
winter – let’s move to Florida”.The truth is, I like the change. Even though it is sad every year when the trees lose
their leaves and the first frost puts an end to my garden, I like to measure my seasons with those changes.I know with the seemingly click of a dial, the season will change again.Change from cold to warm, dead to alive and barren to lush.There
is nothing like the warm sun on your face from a surprise warm day in February or the thrill of that first April weekend when
the beach vendors are busy getting their businesses ready for the summer ahead.I
need the seasons too to mark my life and the passage of time.Each one brings
with it a variety of life’s ceremonies and traditions.Winter is the holidays,
the warm glow of a fire and a hearty Sunday family dinner.Spring is Easter and
band concerts and yard work.Summer brings rites of passage such as weddings
and graduations (and of course – the beach!), and Fall is the start of a new school year and new plans and projects.Sometimes, though, all of this is hard to remember when I look out at the gray sky
and the wind hits me in the face as I leave my house. Of course, being a member of a group such as JWOT can certainly help
us through the dreary days.Do you have cabin fever?Come to a meeting!Come to the spaghetti dinner to support
the “One of Our Own” project.Need to feel like you are making a
difference?Help at the food pantry.Ate
a few too many Christmas cookies?Grab a buddy and join the Healthy JWOT program.Need some companionship?Attend the New
Member Orientation or come bowling with us in February.Better yet, be a friend
and bring a friend.Introduce someone you care about to the benefits of being
part of a wonderful organization like JWOT. We have so much going on right now, if you participate, the dull, cold days will
fly by!Of course, I do not mean to imply that there is not a multitude of fun
and worthwhile things to do once the nice weather is here.In the meantime, come
on out and do things with JWOT.Spring is right around the corner!

FROM THE INSIDE

Jodie Long

We've been talking
about family recently and a few people even submitted their thoughts on the idea of what family means to them. Please take
the time to read them as they all have something very touching to say. I hope that everyone takes the time to be with their
family, not just for this last week of January, but always. Family is precious, through good times and bad, family is that
vital part of our lives. For me family is the most important part of my life. My mom is my best friend and the one person who knows me and loves me for the person I am. With all my faults and
all my strengths I know she will always be there for me. And those of you who have known me know that Friday nights at Grandma's
is a big part of my life. So much so that I even asked that our New Member Orientation be at 8pm so I can make it to grandma's.
I also extend that feeling of family to my friends. Someone once told me that your friend's are G-d's way of making up for
your family. Well, sometimes that is true!

So please come
out and spend some time with your JWOT family in February. Our dinner meeting will be February 8th at 6:30pm at Scala Trattoria
in the BrookwoodPlaza
at 400 S New Prospect Rd.
If you would like to attend please contact Lauris Guddahl. Don't forget to bring your homemade Valentine. Thank you to Vickie
Vitale for putting this lovely craft together. Our ongoing projects that started in January are our Secret Pal project
and our Healthy Women of Today project. Want to lose weight, want to get healthy, want to stay healthy? Then please contact
Fran Stevenson to sign up. It's always easier to achieve health and fitness goals when you have a support system.

Have a Lovely Valentine's Day!

A word from the External Vice President

Susan DeCarlo

First of all, I’d like to wish you all a healthy,
peaceful and prosperous

new year 2010

Soldier Care –
Operation One of our Own

We have teamed
up with other community 501c(3) Chapters to help with raising money for a young man from Jackson
who has returned home from Iraq.Our Chapter will be having a Pancake Breakfast and the chair for this project is Yvonne
Thomas – we will have more details on the event at our February dinner meeting.

Gift Auction/Fashion Show –this
event will take place at the PNCArtCenter, Friday, March 19th from 7:30pm to 11:30pm.The planning stages are underway.The deposit to reserve the
PNCArtCenter has been mailed.Please let either
Maria and/or Antionette know if you are interested on being on the committee.Save
the date cards will be mailed the week of January 25th.

Volunteer Fair – was on Monday, January 18th at the
Jackson Library.

A big “THANK
YOU” to Kathy Muller who spent the day there on behalf of the JWOT handing out information on our Chapter as well as
the Food Pantry and signing up potential new members.

Memorial Day Parade & Observance – I think it would be great
if the JWOT were to march in this year’s parade, something to think about over the next couple of months.We are looking for a chair to help coordinate our participation.

Please take the
time to review the External clip board at each meeting, we have a busy calendar and will need your support to make these events
successful.

As always, thank
you…………………….

MEMBER SPOTLIGHT

“Susan DeCarlo”

Born in Ireland, I am the youngest of five.Our family business was farming until 1989 when my father sold the business and moved to London, England where he purchased two
pubs.After graduating HS I moved to London
to join the family business.I studied in London
and in the evenings helped my Dad in the pubs. Then, my three bothers lived in London
and my sister lived in NY.In 1989 I applied for the Green Card Lottery to allow
me legal access to the United States and
I won.I moved to Essex’s Fells, NJ in 1994 and continued my studies at
Jersey CityUniversity.
I will be celebrating 16 years living in the USA
this February and I have a lot to celebrate.I met my husband August, 1999 and
we married December, 1999.We have two beautiful children, Nicholas who is 8yrs
old and our daughter Megan who is 5yrs.Life has not always been easy, especially
being so far from home.I lost my Dad (and best friend) to cancer July 2004 and
I lost my oldest brother John who was only 43yrs to cancer August 2007. It was from the pain of these losses that fuel and
drives my passion to help families that have been struck with this disease.I
run every year for the Komen Foundation and enjoy running fundraisers to help our local community. I love to exercise, ski,
camping, traveling and drinking a good bottle of wine.

JANUARY SUNSHINE

Happy
Birthday!

Mary Ellen
Grelis

NEW MEMBER ORIENTATION

First I want to say how happy we are to have so many new members joining Jackson Women of Today.
You bring new ideas, energy, enthusiasm and spirit to this organization and we want to make sure that is nurtured. So, please
come to our New Member Orientation on Friday January 29th.It will be a fun and informative evening. Vested members are
also invited. It will be at 8pm and we ask that you bring an appetizer, dessert or drink. This will be at Vickie Vitale's
home:

This get together also happens to fall between the dates of
January 24-30 which is Family Week. Since Jackson Women of Today is somewhat of an extended family for many of us it ties in nicely with the goal of that
week and that is...Spend some quality time with your family that week. Take some pictures to share with us. Tell us something
about that experience; tell us about what your family means to you.

All my best,

Jodie Long

Internal VP

What Does
Family Mean to Me?

Vickie Vitale

Coming from a large family with 7 children, family has always meant sharing, a lot of laughing
and crying, good times and not so good ones, big holidays with all of us plus husbands (and or boyfriends) and nieces/nephews
and plenty of home cooked traditional foods all day and night. It also means many weddings, birthdays, babies, graduations
and more. I am currently the proud aunt of 15 nieces and nephews and 1- 3 yr.old great-nephew.
I am very lucky to have great in-laws also and that both families all got along. Family is also about all the great
recipes for traditional dishes (Italian of course) handed down from generation to generation, as I see my nieces
and nephews now using them.

That's Amore'!!

“WHAT DOES FAMILY MEAN TO ME"

Valerie Jasiecki

When most people think of family, they think of blood relatives, such as brothers, sisters, parents, children,
etc. When I think of family I think of a whole group of people that have come and gone in my life. These people have made
me who I am today. I have learned to be independent and patient. I have learned to be strong for my children and to defend
my beliefs. I have worked hard to get where I am today, so work ethics is a part of my life which I can credit to my hard
working parents. I try to be less critical of others, but sometimes I fail, which is human. But putting the effort into not
criticizing should count for something. We sometimes are more critical of family members than we are of friends or strangers
if they do something to hurt us. That is
not right, so forgiveness should be at the top of the list, depending on the severity of the problem. Now my blood family
is a whole range of different ethnic, religious and political backgrounds. We always get along because we understand that
is what family is all about. To understand each other is what is needed to sustain a common balance for peace. When your family
is so diverse in many areas, you have to adapt. Otherwise you will lose out on many enjoyable family gatherings. I realized
at a young age that family is important because no one is with us forever. People have come and gone through the years, so
missing those that have gone, should bring the ones left behind closer. Having a strong bond in hard times and good times,
can help you through a difficult situation. Caring for each other is a plus. Family is there to back you up. To keep you strong.
To give advice when you need it or even when
you do not want it. Family is good times and bad times. Time to share things and to tell stories of days gone by. To pass
mementos on. To give important information to each other. To laugh and enjoy the company of each other. To fight and argue, but also view each others differences
with an open mind and
still remain on friendly terms. Family does not mean
controlling someone, but helping them out through your own experiences that you gained in life. Family doesn't keep count of who did or didn't do something
to your satisfaction. Family is formed through friendship and hope. Through a common goal or interests. Family is not always formed by blood. Family is formed through
love, birth, marriage, adoption, friendship, through work and a purpose to achieve something that you feel is important. Getting
together as often as you can, whether for 5 minutes or 5 hours or 5 days, is something that should be cherished. That
is my idea of what family means to me. I could go on and on, because I love my family and all the different aspects that come
with it. But keeping in mind that we are here for such a short time, makes you appreciate what you have today in your family!

“What family means to me."

A family means being together in good times and in bad times.

Kathy Mueller

“What does family mean to me?”

Family is special!Caring and sharing and always being there for each other.Special memories will forever be with you.Vacations
are a great opportunity to spend special times together.Family love leaves special
feelings in the heart.

Have fun with family members!

Diane Stanaway

Family.What does family mean to me?It means warmth, security and
comfort.It means having a place to “be”.Be yourself, be among trust and be among love.

That is what “family”
means to me now.That is not always what it meant to me. I will say merely that
I did not have the best of childhoods.I left home at 16.Never did I have the parental support I now give my children.No
one came to my concerts or cheered for me at events.I had to scrounge for rides
and the money to participate in activities.I worked full time and put myself
through college.I was married at 21 and Ken and I have raised our 4 children
completely on our own.I will not go into any more detail than that because I
really try not to dwell on the past or use “my parents” or “my childhood” as an excuse for vices or
bad behavior even though I am sure that it is some of the reason for all of the choices I make.How can we spend the first 16 years of our life with our first introduction to trust and belonging and
NOT have our experiences affect us whatever their quality?

My plan for my
life was to graduate from college (I did) and work full-time at a high-profile accounting firm – make lots of money
– and travel the world (I did not.I still plan to travel someday…).Ken and I were childhood sweethearts so I always knew I would marry him.I did not know we would have children – that was not part of my plan.It was, however, part of God’s plan.I felt ill-equipped to be a
mother to one child and I ended up with 4.To top it off, I evaluated child-care
facilities while pregnant for the first time – and that experience was the end of my career plans.

It makes me laugh
now when I think of my past plans – and I suck in my breath and my heart stops beating when I think about those four
children.Each is spirited, smart and talented.How did THAT happen?I will admit that my mothering techniques have been
,attimes, “unique”.I have definitely felt that I had no idea what I was doing.But they turned
out ok!Better than ok!We have
moved from the phases of “caretaking” and “disciplining” to more “mentoring”, “supporting”
and “guiding”.My oldest daughter (now almost the same age I was
when I was married!)- has frequently “hated me” and two seconds later loved me – has become more of a companion
and a friend.

There was a time
in my life when I longed for a family.A time when I wished there was someone
out there who had made me their first priority – and considered me their precious gift.There were many lonely holidays and empty dinner plates.Now I have
what I always wanted.Our date book is full of soccer games, concerts and plays.Our refrigerator is empty.Our table
is full.Sometimes, there are so many people in my house that I cannot hear myself
think.When it is almost too much to bear and I want everyone to be quiet –
I remember what that quiet was like.

So, “family”
to me now means many things.It means people to care for and love.It means voices around the dinner table and watching a winter movie and a lazy day at the beach together.It means girls ‘days out and boys’ camping trips.It means my children will never have to be alone or lonely.It
is the best of all things.

Suzanne Rogalsky

JAN 29NEW MEMBER ORIENTATION – 8 PM –
VICKIE

FEB 8GENERAL MEMBERSHIP DINNER MEETING

FEB 13SATURDAY STOCKING 9-1

FEB 23 STOCKING FOOD
PANTRY 9AM – 4 PM

FEB 24WEDNESDAY
DISTRIBUTION FOOD PANTRY 4:30 – 6:30 PM

FEB 25THURSDAY
DISTRIBUTION – FOOD PANTRY - 4:30 – 7 PM

FEB 27SORTING
AND STOCKING FOOD
PANTRY 9-11

Save the
date:

FEB (TBA)FAMILY BOWLING

MARCH 19GIFT AUCTION

MARCH (TBA)PANCAKE BREAKFAST

Running Projects:

SECRET PAL

HEALTHY JWOT

2010-2011 ELECTIONS

According
to the By-laws, a nominating committee shall be formed at the regular February meeting and shall consist of the Chair of the
Board and other members appointed by the Chair of the Board.

No
member of the nominating committee can be a candidate for office by action of the nominating committee.A nominating committee member may be nominated from the floor.

This
committee shall announce at least one nominee for each office at the March meeting.Additional names may be placed in nomination from the floor at this meeting.

The
election of officers shall take place during the April meeting.

Eligibility
to run for office shall be limited to those members in good standing who belong to this organization for at least 6 months
prior to elections and who have attended 50% of the 6 meetings.All presidential
candidates must have served one year on the Executive Board.

PRACTICAL PROGRAMMING

State/National Director-Vickie Vitale

Note:Please make sure to read thru as there

is some very important info for yearend that

you don’t want to miss!!!

I want to just
send out a reminder for filling out your programming certifications for the remainder of the year.With only 3 months left to go in the year, it’s never too early to get your paper work in for awards.Please also remember that I issued “A CHALLENGE” for all JWOT, back in
September which involves a FREE gift card and goodie bag if you complete all the areas, or most of them. So please take the
time to read all the info below and I will be resending the certification areas
by email in case you missed a meeting when they were presented.Also, if you
would like tocomplete any of the Personal Enrichment areas missed,
I will send you a questionnaire to complete.So let’s get your certs in
so we can bring home many awards for Yearend!Last Chance to compete for awards!

The 2009-2010 year
has been in full swing for the NJ Women of Today with many events and fundraisers taking place in the community.Just remember that everything you do with the Jackson Women,
whether it is at a meeting, a social, or out in the community will apply toward any of the areas for certifications (the Personal
Enrichment 5 areas-effective writing and speaking, team building, effective listening, and leadership; Focus on Women, Chaplain,
and the STEP I, II, III areas).If you have any questions regarding these areas
and certifying, please drop me a line (vvitale@optonline.net or phone).Also, as an added benefit, many of the tasks you perform at home,
on the job, or at your local clubs, churches and schools also qualify for certification areas.

So please take
a minute to jot down some of these tasks and create a list, along with the JW calendar so you have information at hand, to
fill in the certification forms. The programming team and I will be going over the areas at each meeting as the “emphasis”
months occur (which means, each month is assigned an area on the national JWOT calendar, i.e. Oct. = Chaplain).Remember these forms are also your record of YOUR accomplishments in JW and the community!Please contact me, Vickie, for forms and info and I will help you complete fast and easy.It really is an easy thing to do!

THE YEAREND CHALLENGE FOR ALL!! So you think certifications are boring;
don’t have time to fill out the forms, or just don’t care????Well
you may just care once you read about this year’s challenge for Year End awards!

For those of you
that fill out the forms and try and complete all the required areas, there
will be a gift incentive (gift bag filled with lovely gifts worth up to $25) given to ANYONE who have the most areas completed.Those with less completed
certs will also receive a gift incentive. That means, the Areas listed in paragraph 1: personal enrichment 5, FOW, Chaplain,
STEP (any area).Anyone completing all the Areas, including a Project Recognition
report with completed File Folder, will receive a special gift card worth up to
$25 (of your choice from a select list), in addition to a gift bag!!So let’s get going and get your paperwork in, whether it’s online or in
person.Everyone wants a “free”
gift!!!

These incentives
for certifications will run from September 1st to May 1st, 2010.So let’s get going fellow members, as the competition starts NOW!!!PLEASE NOTE:ALL PAPERWORK AND
PROJECT RECOGNITION REPORTS ARE DUE TO ME BEFORE APRIL 27TH, 2010 FOR MAILING TO NATIONAL.

One last note,
Congratulations to those members (4 so far and Counting?) that have completed all the certification areas.Don’t forget your OAP’s that cover all the area’s and need to also be turned in to finish
the NJ challenge.So please keep challenging yourselves through “participation
and certifications” as you may be the next award recipient of the Jackson
chapter! (Don’t forget the deadlines, so please print out this info!)

Good luck to everyone!

PROGRAMMING YEAREND SCHEDULE TO BE COMPLETED

First, all certification
forms, in all areas, due to Vickie Vitale by April 27th in order to postmark to national staff by April 30th.This allows me time to go over all the forms and make sure all dates, names and chapter
info are correct for submission.Please follow all requirements and check and
recheck for correct info and attachments allowed.

All Project Recognition reports (on any project ran from Oct. 1, 2009 thru April 30, 2010)
must also be submitted to Vickie by 4/27 for national submission.Even though
the deadline is 4/30, I will need time to review for corrections, attachments, etc.Please make sure the STAT SHEET is filled out and attached, along with required copies (4-5).

All Essays for Focus on Women, effective Writing and STEP Résumé’s must also be submitted
by 4/27.Please make sure the STAT SHEET is filled out and attached, along with
required copies (4-5).*(Waiting on topics and criteria from national; will forward
ASAP).

All submissions fees and postage for reports and essays (writing contest), and STEP Résumé’s
are paid for by chapter.Fees are $5 per submission.

All forms for certifications and Stat Sheets for reports/essays can be found online at uswt.org
which is the USWOT site.Look under “FORMS” on web page at top of
page.Otherwise ask Vickie by email or phone for any forms, listed below:

OAP’s (Outstanding Achievement Program) – this form gets completed by any member
who has submitted certifications in ALL areas (FOW/Chaplain, Personal Enrichment areas (5), STEP II or III area and signed
a member, and did a report on a project of any sort at meeting or national submission).This form also goes to Vickie for submission also.

AS JWOT/USWT MEMBERS, I ENCOURAGE YOU TO COMPETE IN THE STEP IIRESUME COMPETITION,
IF YOU HAVE BEEN A MEMBER UNDER 1 YEAR. JUST FIND THE FORM ON THE uswt.org SITE OR CONTACT VICKIE FOR THE FORMS.
IT IS SIMPLE TO DO AS IT IS JUST ABOUT YOUR INVOLVEMENT IN WOT AND YOUR COMMUNITY/PERSONAL LIFE. ALL FEES ARE PAID FOR
BY NJWT. GO FOR IT AND SEE WHAT HAPPENS! AWARDS ARE WAITING FOR THE NJWOT!! GOOD LUCK…..Vickie V.

STEP
II: Resume’ (ONLY) – see USWT forms

Does not require attendance at National Convention

For members who have belonged to Women of Today for 12 mos. or less. Great opportunity for 1st year members to receive recognition
for their hard work.

I would like to thank the ladies and gentleman who attended the project.We were joined by a guest that enjoys the JWOT and we were also joined by members from the North
Jersey chapter.As before, the breakfast and service was great.So many nice gifts!

Diane Stanaway

Chair of the Board

United States Women of Today

Facts

Creed – We, the United States Women of Today, are dedicated to serving our community
and nation, are committed to strengthening our individual talents, and stand united by our friendship and belief in the future.